<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>330911</docID> <postdate>2024-10-14 12:33:03</postdate> <headline>A sweet spot in Oriana’s new composer program</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-330869" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/20240727a-087-Oriana-Chorale-Flight-1-1.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Dan Walker conducts Oriana Chorale. Photo: Peter Hislop</caption> <p><strong>Founded in 1977, the Oriana Chorale has long hit the sweet spot for Canberrans who like to sing.</strong></p> <p>An auditioned group of professional and amateur musicians, the chorale is now directed by composer-singer-conductor Dan Walker, who follows Oriana’s mission to enrich the cultural life of the capital through both a cappella and accompanied singing.</p> <p>Now, with the chorale’s 50th anniversary coming up in a few years, it has announced its inaugural Emerging Composer in Residence Program open to all Australian citizens who are emerging composers.</p> <p>Oriana has a long history of programming and commissioning new work from well-established Australian composers, but this program aims to assist an emerging composer to start creating a body of work, with guaranteed performances and live recordings.</p> <p>The driving force behind the commission is Patrick Baker, a bass singer, the choir librarian and back before covid, a founding member of Luminescence Chambers Singers.</p> <p>During the pandemic he took a step back from singing but missed "the good communal experiences, the social aspects†too much, so joined up again.</p> <p>Many people, Baker believes, tend to forget that music is a living tradition, not one frozen in time.</p> <p>"I feel that here in Australia we have too few opportunities to sing music written by Australians," he says, "most of what we sing is by dead composers, but singing is a living tradition so we need to become champions of work by living composers.â€</p> <p>The current size of the chorale is about 40 members and the chosen composer will be expected to write pieces of 3-5 minutes each for the three concerts next year, with a total fee of $1000 for each successfully completed piece. As well, Oriana will endeavour to provide a travel stipend and billet if the selected composer resides outside of the Canberra region.</p> <p>They could be in written in four parts or divided into more parts but that will somewhat depend on what director Walker’s plans are for next year.</p> <p>The decision will be made by a panel consisting of Baker, Walker, longtime Oriana member Megan Morris and an industry professional not yet announced, but they'll have to be quick because submissions close on November 1.</p> <p><em>Oriana Emerging Composer in Residence Program, all details <a href="http://orianachorale.com">here.</a></em></p> <p> </p> </body>